HOW TO FIX SOUR ESPRESSO: 4 Easy Tips

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[@jdharding2323]

The more I learn about espresso, the less I know about espresso...

[@elcamote1200]

Thank you!! ❤

[@BlakeYuckert]

I'm right with you in Dunning-Kruger's valley of despair.

[@anisazzoug4172]

​@@BlakeYuckert I was thinking the saaaame! Looking forward to climbing back up, slowly but surely

[@kylethepanhandler]

true

[@chrisdturner]

"it is annoying" sums up the process of dialing in espresso perfectly! I love it now I've learned more about dialing in but it was definitely hard to begin with! I can't think of many food/drink preparations that are so finicky to get right. Tiny changes in particle size or a few extra ml extracted can be the difference between perfection and a bitter or sour coffee. When it's right though, it can be incredible. Great content as always!

[@espressomatic]

It's amazing that tens of thousands of cafes, restaurants and pastry shops in Italy, Spain and Portugal and their multiple tens of thousands of employees don't seem to have any problem with this - and haven't for the past 60+ years. But, every millennial that's discovered coffee in the past 20 years seems to believe they're onto something new. SMH. I was pulling shots on a $3000 machine in 1988 at a restaurant without ever making one sour. Now machines cost 10x that and you can't get anything but garbage at a typical US or Canadian-style cafe.

[@chrisdturner]

@@espressomatic coffee knowledge has moved on a lot even in the last decade or so. I'm sure the coffee back then wasn't sour because it was likely quite dark roasted with little acidity but I doubt it was nearly as tasty as coffee available at good cafes nowadays. I'm sure many of the cafes etc that you mention probably didn't have any difficulty making coffee but probably also did it badly by comparison to modern standards. That said, I'm sure the typical coffee establishments in most countries are still going to be mediocre and the best will be the minority of speciality cafes.

[@JulianAndresKlode]

I don't dial in. I pull a shot I drink it, next shot I'll adjust slightly. I'm not getting optimal shots but it's zero waste. Range is huge and it's all still within an ok range, unlike some cafes.

[@mynock250]

Best explanation I’ve ever seen in my 10 years of sour/bitter shots. Very understandable.

[@kenroman777]

Wow you are far more patient than I am..7 months now and almost $2k spent and 3 enjoyable cups...

[@gailoakley4010]

Thank you for all of this information! Very much appreciated!

[@alinaqirizvi1441]

@@kenroman777 well it's your fault if you've spent £1800 on something you didn't know if you were good at

[@ferincr]

You made me feel a bit better. I hope I get it in less time I'm not that patient

[@TomJones-tx7pb]

@@kenroman777 Good grinder, puck prep, and follow advice in this video.

[@kwkw7602]

I've had that reaction to sour espresso, but I've never had the echo, no matter how loud I yell. That only comes from being a TRUE Espresso Master. Great video as always Lance!

[@LanceHedrick]

haha! I love this.

[@matthewjulius5401]

Just gotta yell louder. 😂

[@mortengundelach7620]

You need to grind finer to get the echo.

[@MrFredrictai]

nah, I tried that again, no flicking echo...

[@mikekorpa6425]

I've had the echo. That's how sour mine is....

[@JohnnyBrook]

Bruh is a genius. IQ 9000. A coffee master in every possible way. Great teaching, amazing video quality.

[@LanceHedrick]

hahah thank you, Johnny! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@zlucoblij]

Once I was so desperate from going finer and finer and still getting sour that I just went in the other direction because what the heck else I was supposed to do. And you guessed it, I got sweeter! that was a revelation. And now I finally understand why and hopefully will be able to make a more informed decision in future. Thanks Lance!

[@wathapp33n]

What settings did you find this sweeter settings?

[@TECHNIKMM]

So going coarser makes it sweeter?

[@wytzevogel2023]

​@@TECHNIKMMyes... But you'll only understand why if you watch the video.

[@johnrobbins4500]

Tried my first straight espresso shot this morning…and it was the worst taste I’ve ever had from a drink. 🤣 So thankful for your video and KZbin’s algorithm this morning.

[@cristinaglv8064]

Haha. Same here. My first thoughts were 'Why did I spend so much money on this new hobby and get the most horrible espresso shot I've ever had?'. There is so much to learn. Grateful for all these free lessons

[@klurman]

I've been watching some of your older uploads... and then I watch this one. The step up in presentation is phenomenal dude!

[@duffyrides]

Lance this is the best video on explaining the concepts of coffee extraction. You have a super human talent for breaking things down and making them easy to understand. Well done !!

[@thejohnfish]

Great video!! I was struggling because I was trying to pull a 30g shot from 20g of medium roasted beans and no matter what grind size I was using it was tasting sour. Upped it to 35 and suddenly the shot was sweet! Subscribed ❤️🤝

[@redforman435]

Dude you nail it every time! Thank you for your help.

[@neighbortim]

I had a regular problem with sour shots when I was experimenting with an early model Flair lever machine. Shots times were good, prep seemed good. Eventually I figured out that the main issue was temperature management, it was difficult to get the temperature of the group high and keep it there during the shot. I had to soak the whole steel group in near boiling water, reassemble it, and then do the shot as fast as possible before it lost too much temperature (without burning my hands). Tricky!

[@TomJones-tx7pb]

You can insulate the one with a heater and let the temperature get a bit high. Then turn the heat off and as the temperature slowly drops, time when to do the extraction. You can use a fast reading thermometer like a Thermapen.

[@SilentSzZ]

I was getting sour espresso on the absolute finest grind setting on my grinder. Was so confused until I realised even at the finest setting my grinder wasn’t grinding fine enough. So I brought out my manual grinder and after a few practice shots, I was getting perfect, delicious espresso. I’m so chuffed!

[@arvinjacobmusic]

If after all of that, you can’t drink that espresso because is still “sour “, make a cappuccino, move on and be happy 😂

[@kenroman777]

unless the cappuccino has caramel syrup it is undrinkable to me but most are in any event thus considering trashing this barista pro with no support from breville

[@alinaqirizvi1441]

@@kenroman777 ?

[@helipeek2736]

Or drink tea

[@themariokartlick]

@@kenroman777 maybe you just don’t like espresso

[@seymour5000000]

I’m with you! Throw some milk on it, pump of syrup and enjoy.

[@Presso99]

i always enjoying watching Lance's KZbin, easy to understand and a strong sense of humor.

[@katie-ty1mn]

This video could not have come at a better time for me, i just got a grinder and was so excited to taste the espresso only to find that it was super sour!!

[@GoTellJesusSaves]

The best thing I ever did for better tasting shots is puck prep, especially WDT. WDT was a game changer for more satisfying espresso. Whether the shots are long, short, middle or turbo... it always tastes better with WDT. It very much helps with the bitter and sour issues.

[@damnhockey]

Lance, that is a great detailed video, thanks for your advice. I bought and tested the equipment and it greatly improved the quality of my espresso. Thank-you, so much!

[@eddiegordon5616]

This is great advice man. Thanks. I’ve been struggling with grind size being too fine. I’ll try more coarse to see if things get better.

[@hookedonwood5830]

Just saved an under extracted shot of James Hoffman's "Il Grifone" by transferring the puck to my Hario Switch. The under extracted shot in the cup and 180 ml 85 celcius water in the dripper - let it steam for 1 min and release to the cup and mix. Made a very decent cup of coffee and then we dialed in the grind size for a very nice espresso. Zero waste of precious beans.

[@bradyvilhauer4445]

Love the details!!! Dang I always learn a lot from you Lance! now we need the “bitter” version!

[@maggnet4829]

That's really helpful info. Could you create a cheat sheet that lists all those situations and explains how to spot and then to fix them?

[@BanjoDen]

This was helpful for me, and also I one hundred percent subscribed because of your on-fleek curls.

[@rebekahclevenger3484]

A lot of this was basics, but there were a few nuggets that's were super helpful. I'd love the bitter side of this discussion too

[@LetsPlayBojangles]

Bless you, letting my shots run longer to the 1:3-1:4 lungo range really cut down on sourness and let alot more sweet flavors through. I'm sure a grinder with finer adjustments, or a better machine would make true proper espresso, but not everyone has the time and money to make 100% perfect shots.

[@VivasvanParekh]

Your videos are exactly what most of us need. I just made a sour coffee with proper timing and ratio..and i find this video 😅 thank you! Your hair is amazing ❤

[@youtubeprofile2070]

Those curls were the first thing I noticed on my 4K TV! 😍

[@TS-uu4hp]

Made what I would consider an unoptimal extraction yesterday and it tastes great and pulled it near perfect today only to be super sour. Glad I found this video

[@FuzzFace]

Great video. The scenario of too fine a grind creating a fast extraction is a real sleeper case. Getting puck prep consistent is a must before diagnosing and assuming other culprit.

[@CoolDestroyer360]

Thank you for explaining how under-extraction can be caused both by having it too course as well as too fine.

[@markymaarty]

Love the mic a d the voice. Very clear! Great job Lance

[@daniel.marbach]

Depending on the beans I had also great success using the blooming allongé extraction. I get more fruitiness snd and no sourness which is also easily explained by your extraction tipps and tricks

[@ArberAboow]

How's nobody mentioning that insane intro? Amazing work, Lance!

[@Noyb266]

You’re stepping your game up with the intros! Beautifully done!

[@tucsonbubba1574]

Great video. Yeah, espresso isn't rocket science, but it isn't simple either. Many people simplify their approach and assume water is going through the puck evenly. Your explanation is straight forward and genius and I have used it with my friends who complain about "sour espresso". Brilliant Sir.

[@diegohormazabal2541]

love the lights

[@carlosfedericolopezspindol3103]

I want my Lelit now! BTW Lance, congratulations on the production and editing of your new videos! They are really awesome!

[@pistacho.cerrao]

Thank you Lance! And yes, your hair looks so shiny, amazing!

[@jonesukivideo]

Thanks for the tips. Just pull a sour one: 18g in - 38g out - 60sec. Gonna try coarser grind tomorrow while keeping other variables the same. Really learn something from your explanation! Great job!

[@faraonch]

My coffee was constanly sour although I nailed everything to an extent you'd not believe. In the end, the reason was THE TEMPERATURE! It does way more than you think at least for light roast coffee but I guess that's why you are here! So IF YOUR SPECIALTY COFFEE IS STILL SOUR, RAISE YOUR TEMP TO 96 deg C / 205 f and see what happens. MAGIC. From there lower it slowly to fine tune. De rien.

[@JohanH1990]

Well, that's something we can work with... Many thanks! Mate of mine sold his stuff out off pure frustration 😂

[@CMDRtesh]

bro im getting there with the touch impress... i have never owned a more frustrating product to learn off of.

[@dredleviathan]

Excellent reminder of some basic principles and timely since I’ve had a lot of sour happening recently. Also kudos for the use of “en flique”, sadly no product or tips will bring back my locks.

[@joperez8003]

the curls are immaculate Lance. my hair is too short at the moment but do link them in the description box!

[@molllylee]

thank youuuu for this. I’ve been watching a lot of videos trying to find the answer because mine have been really sour but take too much time to reach the right volume. will go a bit coarser!! tysm

[@matthewjulius5401]

"There's no such thing as a catch-all in espresso because it is annoying." Now THAT is what I need on a t-shirt.

[@AllIndiaPermitVlogs]

bro litreally , you cleared all my doubts. SUBSCRIBED

[@CC-io3nc]

Sometimes sour gets mistaken for acidic. So don't always just pour the shot down the sink. Make a latte with it. And if the sour tasting shot makes a tasty latte.. chances are the shot was acidic and not sour. I recently discovered this when I switched from a high to medium roast coffee bean. I thought my beans were still too fresh and full of CO2. As I thought it was sour tasting. I poured the first couple shots down the sink. Then thought I'll just use the 3rd sour shot in a latte instead of wasting it. The latte tasted just as good as the latte I bought from the coffee shop where I bought the beans from

[@mitchkronowit3633]

So what’s the difference? I’ve been asking this question for months and nobody wants to answer it. How is very acidic and sour not the same if sourness is basically caused by the presence of acid?

[@alfansakti7119]

​@@mitchkronowit3633 sour ≠ acidic unpleasant taste from sour shot can easily be differentiated if you using milk because if u drink lemon latte it will be unpleasant right? 😅

[@wynparksook5286]

Great practical information! I imagine this would be useful for most people entering the confusing world of coffee. I also enjoyed your “bad” jokes.

[@TheGreaterThanTwo]

Curl game intense Lance! 🎉

[@The_Catman_Dont]

Great vid Lance! Appreciated the sour v acidic distinction, something I definitely conflate at times. Keep the awesome content coming!

[@siegfriedsundermann5334]

Hi Lance, very informative, hope I can turn it into practice. P.S. 13min. without grasping for air... very good

[@jessiewissman697]

I gotchu on them hair products homie. Lmk if you need some curly tips. Love the videos. Keep the tips coming.

[@AzuritSK]

At first I thought you pulled a good espresso and just pretended it was sour for the intro but the end of the video convinced me otherwise. I like it! 😄

[@Avatar711Wizard]

Thank you Lance. I dont think anyone could have said it better. Yeah go on, link them.

[@timheiberger9134]

Great video lance. I went courser and way better. I have an older breville duo temp using a double shot double lined high pressure basket. I think that’s why it was so sour before because I had the grind way to fine

[@WeAreBullets]

well i'm impressed simply for the fact that you are a coffee professional and coffee drinker (and professional coffee drinker lulz) and yet you are wearing a white shirt and it seems to be spotless.

[@andema83]

I am struggling with sour or underdeveloped espresso shots, and it confused me a great deal when my espresso still had bitterness in it, though obviously under extracted, and I also experienced that sourness tends to increase when grinding finer, which was confusing as well. Thanks for addressing these seemingly odd phenomena.

[@gnrands50]

I have no interest in coffee, but I subscribed to your channel because you have the best intro on KZbin.

[@littledevilz]

Thanks Lance, great video as always. This lines up to my experience of puckering sour shots that are extracted too long and have small yield.

[@KrazyShark]

New Lance Hedrick vid ? Today is a good day :D

[@LanceHedrick]

haha thank you for the support and comment!

[@precisionsoundworksstudio]

Ha!!!! That reaction at the beginning. Too damn funny! 🙌🏻

[@PatsFew]

Thanks!

[@Psychoh90]

Excellent video Lance! Really nice explanation. Cheers from 🇮🇹

[@JimSlaughterOC]

Thanks, very helpful. The curls look good!

[@lukasschurch6685]

Wow. Awesome Soundquality! The rest is also great, as always😉

[@dn275]

This was such a helpful video, you have no idea. Thank you!

[@crnamrlja]

Good advice, thank you.

[@TashiqueAlam]

Finally fixed my sour espresso due to my grind being too fine! Thanks!

[@vladyslavleonov7873]

So start watching it from 10:30 -on to jump immediately to the summary! :)

[@angelabuenafeYT]

Clearer sound quality. Nice.🙂👍🏻

[@BensCoffeeRants]

Surprised you didn't mention temperature much. Although some machines you don't have much control over that, but you do have control over grind size and brew times and ratios

[@dragonflykat]

Thanks Lance! Awesome video

[@CesarSandoval024]

7:31 thoughts arrive like butterflies 🦋

[@doc8125]

your son has the right idea, straight lemon is quite delicious

[@aprils8725]

His humor is my favorite 🤣

[@idontevenwanttomakea]

I wish I could give this video a hug!

[@WitchSmeller74]

I bought a De'Longhi La Specialista Arte a few weeks ago and despite having rusty but decent skills as a barista in the early 90s (not Starbucks), I've had a hell of a time trying to dial in a decent espresso. I'm close, but thank you for these awesome videos and hopefully these tips help.

[@096017hss]

lmaoo these videos are hilarious and insightful, keep it up bruddahh!

[@SparkyHelper]

Love your personality! Thanks for the vid!

[@espresshow]

To be a great coffee person I must, therefore, have great hair. I understand... now I have work to do. Thank you for this video!

[@ant038]

Thanks for the video, really helpful. Although i recently found out that my dedica is common for not getting very hot water temp, how imperative is that. Increasing my yeild did reduce the sourness. I think your curls are awesome and the mo

[@JackD87]

Love the Tai Zonde reference!!

[@SuperSecretJohn]

Thanks Lance. Good explanations.

[@vinnychoff]

Lance thanks I learnt a few things about the making of coffee? I am going to experiment

[@LanceHedrick]

Fantastic! So glad to read that. Cheers!

[@btpuppy2]

My home roasted makes sour espresso, my experimental store bought Lavazza has no sourness with the same machine and process. I believe how you roast makes a big difference

[@puneeification]

Solid video. As a non native English speaker, I find that one simple thing not done enough is simply, erm, clarifying the terms "bitter" and "sour" which seem to be used interchangeably in English, even if they mean completely different things.

[@mohamadrezazolfaqari9308]

Thanks Hance. That was a lot of help 👌 btw, what effect does pre-infusion have on the taste?

[@hugojeller]

One problem I have is: when I grind finer, I either clog my filter or I get a really fast extraction (50g+ in 25~30 seconds), using a Delonghi Dedica, JX Pro, WDT, bottomless PF. After MONTHS of trying new things I gave up and accepted it's something with either my grinder or machine. My hacky solution is to get water that is very rich in sodium bicarbonate (300~600mg/L), which mutes the sourness quite a bit and also makes the coffee extra creamy haha

[@nigelburton7408]

Here in the UK 🇬🇧 we have the ultimate fix to sour or bitter coffee and it is so simple... Tea!

[@eleanorbrown8914]

drop the hair care routine!!!! luv u lance 💖

[@tonyperotti9212]

Yes, link your hair products. You've become the American Hoff!!! The hair completes the transformation.

[@AlokSomani]

Appreciate the theory and knowledge. One suggestion: it might help people more if you demonstrate what you’re talking about as you talk about it.

[@hoongfu]

Thanks for the tip! I struggled with sour extractions for a month.

[@jram9571]

Temperature would have an impact too.. depending on roast. If puck prep is good, check temp.

[@johnmalin4933]

Yes I want to see links to your hair products!

[@LumiLunar]

I bet the espresso he sipped at the beginning wasn’t even that sour 😂

[@allen.t]

Knowing lance it was probably a really tasty shot

[@Sleepistherapy]

Exactly.. Mine is sour-ER

[@Idkwhatowritehereman]

I’m

[@robertjason6885]

Lance, this is such a perfect video. ❤

[@ryanferguson7190]

Enjoying your new setup! Nice onw

[@Cenot4ph]

I can feel the Glow Lance

[@ivankreitman1526]

Thanks for the informative video!! I see you got your hands on the Happy Tamper and used it in the video. I finally received mine and have used it only once; still adjusting to it. So far I am happy but interested to hear your thoughts. Thank again.